Sybil Jean Mayes

Sybil Jean (Knaus) Mayes was born on September 12, 1939, in Dearborn, Michigan to Orville and Lois (Cardinal) Knaus.  She passed from this life to be with our Lord in Idabel, Oklahoma on April 12, 2025. 

Sybil grew up in the Detroit, Michigan metropolitan area, as well as Upper Sandusky, Ohio, following her family as her dad moved with his work.  She graduated from St. James High School in Ferndale, Michigan, in 1958.  As a young adult, Sybil worked for Blue Cross of Michigan.  She met Leon Mayes through a bowling league, and they married in May of 1961.  They had two children during their marriage: Leon Jr. and Anne Marie.

After moving with her family to Mustang, Oklahoma in the summer of 1976, Sybil earned an RN degree from South Oklahoma City Junior College (later known as Oklahoma City Community College).  She began her nursing career working at Hillcrest Hospital in South Oklahoma City, later working for a local doctor, and finally Children’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, where she spent the majority of her years in the nursing field.  Sybil worked as an ER nurse and later the Cancer Patient floor at Children’s until her retirement. 

 In her earlier years in Mustang, Sybil was part of the Single’s Ministry at Chisholm Heights Baptist Church in Mustang.  Later she attended Mustang United Methodist Church, where she was part of the choir for a few years.  She enjoyed being part of a Ladies Bible Study group that met weekly in Mustang, where she made many good friends.

Sybil loved to read, sharing recently that she had read “thousands” of books in her lifetime.  After retiring from Children’s Hospital, she volunteered at the Mustang Library and later became a paid part-time worker there.  Later in life, she was unable to continue to work at the library and spent most of her time at her home in Mustang until September of 2023, when her son, Leon (Lee) and Daughter-In-Law Cindy brought her to Idabel, where she spent the remaining 19 months of her life. Sybil also loved to travel, visiting Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Canada and Mexico, along with many of the lower 48 states, always with friends or family.  She also enjoyed being out in nature, with a special love for birds.

Sybil was preceded in death by her parents, Orville and Lois Knaus, stepmom Thelma (Parker) Knaus, former husband, Leon Mayes, Sr., stepbrother Gary Parker and his wife Fran, brother-in-law Rob Williams, and by her daughter, Anne Marie Mayes (Mailand).  She leaves to cherish her memory: brother Carl Knaus of Waterford, Michigan, brother Tom Knaus and wife Irene of Spruce, Michigan, sister Judy Williams of Peoria, Arizona, brother Ron Parker (Sandy) of Lincoln, California, brother Rick Parker (Bonnie) of West Linn, Oregon, and sister Kathy MacQueen (Charlie) of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas; a son, Leon (Lee) Mayes, Jr. and wife Cindy of Idabel; granddaughter Marcy Carpenter and her husband Josh, of Ft. Collins, Colorado; grandson Connor Mayes of Phoenix, Arizona, Micah DeKaye and her husband Dan, of Argyle, Texas; Jared McCreary and wife PJ, of Lane, Oklahoma;  Candace Famiglietti and husband Andrew, of Coventry, Rhode Island; great grandchildren Dirk Johnson, McKenzi McCreary, Keely McCreary, Maverick McCreary, Lucy McCreary,  Tyce and Declan DeKaye, Knox Carpenter, and Teague Famiglietti; along with a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Sybil’s family would like to thank the staff of Memorial Heights Nursing Center in Idabel for their excellent care during her stay there, along with Complete OK Hospice, each really becoming friends of hers and her family.  Thanks also to the many friends, medical staff and clergy in Yukon, Mustang, Oklahoma City, and Idabel who cared for her along the way during the past several years, as her health declined.  Each one is such a blessing, and our family is forever grateful.

Services are scheduled for Saturday May 10th at 11:00 am at the McNeil’s Funeral Service chapel in Mustang.  Special thanks to Clardy Funeral Service of Idabel for taking care of Sybil’s arrangements in Idabel.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of the Mustang Public Library in her honor.

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